G. Vernikos: The challenges of Greek shipping

We Greeks are intimately connected to the oversea element, which has been an entity of worship since past times — a root of admiration, but besides of exploitation, arsenic it has ever represented for Greeks a root of wealthiness and a pathway to pass with different peoples. It is nary coincidence that for us, the “Tomorrow” of the satellite is ever tied to a “ship.” And the archetypal vessel with an identity: the “Argo.” The astir celebrated mythical commercialized and maritime adventure, aimed astatine acquiring the Golden Fleece.

Shipping remains contiguous the compass for our state successful repositioning ourselves connected the representation of the modern planetary landscape. Shipping encompasses galore antithetic branches and sectors. There is ocean-going shipping, cruise ships, coastal shipping, and maritime tourism. There are besides ports, the full clump of the alleged “blue economy,” and adjacent the absorption of seas and oceans. Of course, Greek ocean-going shipping plays a starring role. Greek shipowners power astir 5,000 vessels and clasp a 17% stock successful deadweight tonnage (dwt), meaning that 1 successful six tons transported globally is carried by Greek interests. In the tanker sector, Greece holds 29% of the planetary tanker fleet and 24-25% successful adust bulk carriers and the LNG fleet.

Therefore, the aboriginal of shipping concerns america all, successful each its sectors, with a peculiarly important relation for ocean-going shipping.

At the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, we person cultivated partnerships connected some nationalist and planetary levels, ever aiming to safeguard our shipping manufacture — the astir strategical and resilient assemblage of the Greek economy. We person consistently placed accent connected respecting organization bodies and associations, and we judge that lone done communal respect and meaningful collaboration, with 1 agreed voice, tin we nutrient tangible and lasting results.

At the aforesaid time, Greek shipping faces challenges specified arsenic geopolitical instability, economical uncertainty, unit for accelerated decarbonization and the unbearable fiscal outgo that comes with it, expanding planetary competition, and changing planetary regulations. Greece’s quality to accommodate rapidly to these challenges, without sacrificing its prime and reputation, volition find whether it remains astatine the apical successful the future.

Many of today’s shipowning families person roots that spell backmost galore years. In the aboriginal 1830s, it is estimated that 700 Greek commercialized ships sailed the seas, and successful 1834 the Port Authority was organized, bringing with it a long-standing acquisition and tradition.

The acquisition of accepted large shipping families is simply a treasure trove of cognition and strategical insight, tested implicit decades of planetary maritime activity. When this acquisition is combined with the entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, and technological fluency of the younger generation, a almighty competitory vantage is created.

Intergenerational practice tin bring a equilibrium betwixt contented and modern approaches, allowing Greek shipping to pb successful caller markets, put successful greenish technologies, and marque usage of integer tools without losing the credibility and estimation built implicit decades. In different words, accepted contented and caller dynamism are the perfect operation for a sustainable and starring future.

Shipping includes galore branches and sectors. Naturally, maritime tourism is simply a large portion of the maritime economy. Maritime tourism successful Greece is simply a important comparative vantage for our country. The Greek archipelago, the Greek “Polynesia,” the unsocial airy — each marque Greece the world’s apical destination for maritime tourism. Naturally, maritime tourism has tremendous imaginable to integrate greenish practices, specified arsenic the usage of low-emission vessels, hybrid oregon electrical boats, and much businesslike vigor and discarded management, without impacting the visitant experience. But I indispensable besides stress the value of modernizing ports and marinas to accommodate to existent demands. Certainly, greenish innovation should beryllium a competitory advantage, arsenic much and much travelers take destinations that respect the environment. With due planning, concern successful technology, and unit training, maritime tourism tin harvester sustainability, safety, and high-quality services — keeping this assemblage of Greek shipping astatine the apical of the planetary representation arsenic well.

(*) Excerpt from a code by George Vernicos astatine an lawsuit organized by the Alumni Association of Leonteios School connected the topic: The Future of Shipping.

(**) George Vernicos is an Honorary Member of the Board of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, Secretary General of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), and President of VERNICOS YACHTS.